Quick Chicken Parmigiana Panini

This is a shortcut recipe to getting all those great flavors of Chicken Parmigiana without spending a long time making the original.  For this super quick lunchtime or light dinner treat, you can pick up a few convenience items at the grocery on the way home and have a gourmet, deli-worthy panini in only a few minutes!  And since you aren't staring down a breaded and fried dinner with a pile of pasta, you won't be too weighed down to get out and take that walk after dinner that you've been promising yourself.

I want to preemptively say (again) that this is a  shortcut recipe.  No, I'm not making the components from scratch.  It's for a fast and easy meal.  Of course you can use your delicious homemade sauces, chicken, etc. 

Click for Printable Recipe 

Ingredients:

• French bread
• prepared marinara
• freshly grated Parmigiano reggiano
• cooked, grilled and sliced chicken breast strips
• fresh basil leaves (or dried basil)
• shredded, part-skim mozzarella
• sliced provolone 
• just a bit of mayonnaise 

Method:

It feels a little silly giving you a "method" to make a sandwich, but here goes... as some people like having explicit directions.    The short version:  Make the sandwich, grill and press it!  There.  :)    

The longer version:  Find yourself some lovely French or Italian bread. 

Apply some store-bought marinara to the inside of each piece that you will be using.  Choose the brand of your choice.  If you have some marinara that you have already made, use it. 

Starting with the "bottom" bread, add some freshly grated Parmigiana reggiano, your pieces of cooked chicken, some basil, shredded mozzarella, and provolone.  

Parmigiana reggiano

Grilled chicken strips

Basil - either fresh or dried.  You choose.

Sliced Provolone cheese.

Shredded mozzarella.

Top with the second "top" bread that also has marinara spread onto it.  

Add marinara to the top piece.  I like the chunkier marinara because I like having the pieces of tomatoes.  I'm sure you can find a smoother version if that's your preference.

Look good, already, right?!

Now to get this beautiful golden brown color, spread a little mayonnaise to the outside of each bread.  You can use butter or cooking spray, but the mayo really browns beautifully... and no - it won't taste like mayo.  

You can grill them on a grill pan, on a panini machine, on a George Foreman-type grill, on a black iron skillet, or just a plain old non-stick skillet.  I LOVE my grill pan, and use it all the time!

Flip when brown, and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown.  Pressing them gets all the ingredients "glued together."  If you are using just a skillet, consider putting a second heavy skillet on top of the sandwich to press it.      

Serve with a side of marinara.

Did you enjoy this recipe?  Then please pop on over to my Recipe Index for tons of ideas to cook with and for your family.

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Crazy about Italian food?  Here are a few more...

Mozzarella Caprese Skewers

Chicken Mezzaluna

Tomato Basil Chicken

Eggplant Parmigiana

Super Easy Stuffed Shells

Written Method:

It feels a little silly giving you a "method" to make a sandwich, but here goes... as some people like having explicit directions.    The short version:  Make the sandwich, grill and press it!  There.  :)    

The longer version:  Find yourself some lovely French or Italian bread.  Apply store-bought marinara to the inside of each piece that you will be using.  Starting with the "bottom" bread, add grated Parmigiana reggiano, your pieces of cooked chicken, some basil, shredded mozzarella, and provolone.   Top with the second "top" bread that also has marinara spread onto it.  Now to get this beautiful golden brown color, spread a little mayonnaise to the outside of each bread.  You can use butter or cooking spray, but the mayo really browns beautifully... and no - it won't taste like mayo.  You can grill them on a grill pan, on a panini machine, on a George Foreman-type grill, on a black iron skillet, or just a plain old non-stick skillet.  Pressing them gets all the ingredients "glued together."  If you are using just a skillet, consider putting a second heavy skillet on top of the sandwich to press it.

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